Mega Mistake

[Kpenney]

First time hatcher here, and I’m not sure I have done anything right from day one. To skip the long story below, I’m wondering if ANYONE has ever had eggs hatch after the incubator was opened/egg candled on day 21.

I’m using borrowed equipment for my first hatch and wasn’t prepared before starting. In order to not lose my last fertilized eggs, (got rid of our nasty rooster) I started two batches within a week of each other. I only had room in the first incubator I had for 4 eggs and then got a bigger one that I combined all the eggs into one. When it came time for lock down I took the two left in the first batch and moved them back over to the tiny incubator for lockdown. Between this move, a loss of power for an hour, and stopped wiggles I figured they were gone as I calculated that this was day 23. I opened to candle before throwing them away and ending my heartache, and low and behold I can see breathing near the air sack. I didn’t know day one was actually day 0 (duh, obviously) and I started them at night. So today is still day 21. I learned a lot through this, but am heartbroken I may have just killed a chick that may have pipped and hatched perfectly if I had of just waited it out. I know my mistake, but hoping there may be someone out there who can give me a wee bit of hope.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

It's fine, they'll be fine.

 

[nuthatched]

It will likely be fine, just put it back in.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Lots of eggs hatch after day 21. It's just an average day, it's not a hard and fast rule. Heck, I had quail (which hatch on day 18) that were still hatching on day 22 once.

 

[Kpenney]

Lots of eggs hatch after day 21. It's just an average day, it's not a hard and fast rule. Heck, I had quail (which hatch on day 18) that were still hatching on day 22 once.

For sure, it was a miscount on top of the other mistakes I made that made me think they weren’t going to hatch. I should have been patient to at least day 25. I think I may have too much anxiety for hatching eggs.

 

[Yardmom]

Opening the incubator and candeling does not kill the chicks. Humidity does become more important at hatch time. Make sure your humidity is over 60 (less than 80) and if you do need to open again be quick or add humidity such as spraying water in the surrounding air.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Think about how a broody hen handles her eggs. She gets up off the nest once or twice a day for several minutes to eat, drink and poop - even in cold weather. She jostles the eggs around every day. The eggs are only heated on one side, against her breast, at any one period of time before she decides to jostle them again. She has no clue what "lockdown" means. They lay on their sides or one end up, whatever. This is how Mother Nature designed the process to be. The healthiest and strongest chicks survive, and the weakest ones don't. Survival of the fittest.

I had a broody hen who kicked an egg out of the nest after all the others had hatched, and I assumed it was a dud or defective, but I didn't remove it from her little hut (I should have; leaving it there risked an exploding mess!). Regardless, two days later (about day 23 and 60-ish degree temperatures), I noticed a pip-hole in the abandoned egg !!! And his little beak poking out. I'd only noticed because he chirped! I fired up the incubator and put him in, and he hatched a few hours later (with assistance). He was on Day 23.

But see? Don't worry. It will likely be FINE.

I've found that some eggs just don't develop correctly, or fail to hatch - often for reasons that we, as humans, have no control over. Failures due to MY handling of eggs are usually, I think, due to handling the eggs too roughly (accidental bump or drop), cracks in the shell (often invisible, but allow bacteria to enter), or attempting to 'help' the chick hatch too soon.

 

[fluffycrow]

They'll probably be fine, no need to worry, 21 days is just an average, not a hard set rule. Also, welcome to BYC

 

[Kpenney]

They'll probably be fine, no need to worry, 21 days is just an average, not a hard set rule. Also, welcome to BYC

Thank you! Literally joined hoping to receive this EXACT advice. I thought opening the incubator air locked them or something.

 

[Kpenney]

Think about how a broody hen handles her eggs. She gets up off the nest once or twice a day for several minutes to eat, drink and poop - even in cold weather. She jostles the eggs around every day. The eggs are only heated on one side, against her breast, at any one period of time before she decides to jostle them again. She has no clue what "lockdown" means. They lay on their sides or one end up, whatever. This is how Mother Nature designed the process to be. The healthiest and strongest chicks survive, and the weakest ones don't. Survival of the fittest.

I had a broody hen who kicked an egg out of the nest after all the others had hatched, and I assumed it was a dud or defective, but I didn't remove it from her little hut (I should have; leaving it there risked an exploding mess!). Regardless, two days later (about day 23 and 60-ish degree temperatures), I noticed a pip-hole in the abandoned egg !!! And his little beak poking out. I'd only noticed because he chirped! I fired up the incubator and put him in, and he hatched a few hours later (with assistance). He was on Day 23.

But see? Don't worry. It will likely be FINE.

I've found that some eggs just don't develop correctly, or fail to hatch - often for reasons that we, as humans, have no control over. Failures due to MY handling of eggs are usually, I think, due to handling the eggs too roughly (accidental bump or drop), cracks in the shell (often invisible, but allow bacteria to enter), or attempting to 'help' the chick hatch too soon.

THANK YOU.